Wow! It has been a busy, busy month for me. Thankfully, things are starting to settle down somewhat and I'm back to my blogging ways. A few weeks ago I had the great fortune to be able to attend the Marburger Farm Antique Show in Round Top, Texas. My husband was in Houston on business and Round Top is located about an hour from there so we made a trip of it. I was able to take my trusty sidekicks with me, my little guy and (thank goodness) my mom.
We decided (smartly enough) to reserve a golf cart for our day at Marburger which was well worth it. With temperatures in the high 90's and 43 acres to scour, the golf cart was our friend! Plus my little boy loved to "drive."
This was an antiquing experience like I've never seen before! Naively, we hit the road and figured once we hit Round Top we would know where the show was right away. When we got there, there were so many antique tents set up on the side of the road it was dizzying! According to about.com, during the biannual Marburger Antique Show, there are FIVE times as many antique vendors as there are town residents. Finally we decided to stop at the gas station and ask for directions. My mom came back to the car and said, "The woman told me we will know when we get close. Traffic will be at a standstill for a few miles." And sure enough it was. We finally got into the gates and entered antique heaven! An eclectic mix of granny's antiques, repurposed art, shabby and vintage finds, and even fabulous vintage clothing, this place has it all!
Of all hundreds of vendors at the show, two stood out as my absolute favorites. Alice & Jay had an amazing tent full of repurposed vintage and antique finds. What caught my eye was the front of their tent.
I fell in love with this super fun carnival wheel that was already sold unfortunately. Mandi also informed me that the wheel was featured on Pickers. There was so much to look in this little shop. I truly wanted it all! I especially loved the old floating ducks that were used in carnival games. Check out The Shop's site here.
While Marburger was an absolute blast for me and my sidekicks, you definitely need to bring your pocketbooks! This isn't a flea market. It's a show where the vendors come from many different states, and they spend a lot of money to get there. They aren't giving their things away. They did the digging, cleaning, repurposing and they all have fabulous shops! However, even if you're a picker like me, it's fun to explore and maybe even pick up a treasure or two along the way like I did.
We decided (smartly enough) to reserve a golf cart for our day at Marburger which was well worth it. With temperatures in the high 90's and 43 acres to scour, the golf cart was our friend! Plus my little boy loved to "drive."
This was an antiquing experience like I've never seen before! Naively, we hit the road and figured once we hit Round Top we would know where the show was right away. When we got there, there were so many antique tents set up on the side of the road it was dizzying! According to about.com, during the biannual Marburger Antique Show, there are FIVE times as many antique vendors as there are town residents. Finally we decided to stop at the gas station and ask for directions. My mom came back to the car and said, "The woman told me we will know when we get close. Traffic will be at a standstill for a few miles." And sure enough it was. We finally got into the gates and entered antique heaven! An eclectic mix of granny's antiques, repurposed art, shabby and vintage finds, and even fabulous vintage clothing, this place has it all!
Of all hundreds of vendors at the show, two stood out as my absolute favorites. Alice & Jay had an amazing tent full of repurposed vintage and antique finds. What caught my eye was the front of their tent.
Gorgeous isn't it? These repurposed tubs are my favorite!
They also had an amazing collection of repurposed decor inside. Check out their lamps here. Using everything from chicken feeders to milk buckets, Alice and Jay have an awesome eye for great repurposing!
My other favorite shop was The Shop Antiques. Not only was the shop an overload of quirky, vintage carnival fun but the shop owner Mandi was amazing and knows her carnival stuff. This shop was even featured on American Pickers earlier this year!
While Marburger was an absolute blast for me and my sidekicks, you definitely need to bring your pocketbooks! This isn't a flea market. It's a show where the vendors come from many different states, and they spend a lot of money to get there. They aren't giving their things away. They did the digging, cleaning, repurposing and they all have fabulous shops! However, even if you're a picker like me, it's fun to explore and maybe even pick up a treasure or two along the way like I did.
If and when you're ready to get down and dirty, bring your walking shoes and visit some of the hundreds of vendors outside of Marburger after the show. You'll find everything from flea market tents to high quality antiques outside of the gates of Marburger. This sleepy little town that turns into a bustling metropolis twice a year is definitely worth the trip and one I plan on attending time and time again!
That looks like a fun but tiring day! I would want to see everything. The part about it not being a Flea Market is a good point...once something is cleaned up and fixed it does cost more. So what did you buy?
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky enough to attend a couple of times and love it! I have also gone to Brimfield once when we lived in CT. Both are fabulous! I am so hoping I get to go to Round Top next spring. Hope to see you there!
ReplyDeletelove thrifting! very fun
ReplyDeletewow, looks like fun! comfortable shoes are so important :). new follower of your blog, would love it if you checked out mine.
ReplyDeletehttp://cumminslife.blogspot.com/